White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) April 22, 2013 – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now offering assistance to travelers with special needs. The disabled, the elderly and individuals with medical conditions are now being offered special assistance with airport security as part of a new push by the TSA. In light of numerous complaints by travelers, the TSA has implemented a cadre of specially trained airport security screeners to assist passengers with disabilities. More than 2,600 TSA officers, supervisors and lead staff have been trained specifically to address the issues that travelers with special needs may face. Each […]

Brandon, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 22, 2013 – A Florida Senate committee advanced a bill to create a statewide domestic partner registry. Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases pertaining to gay marriage, the Senate panel approved legislation that would grant specific rights to domestic partnerships, including same-sex couples. “This is a step forward for same-sex couples and other unmarried domestic partners in Florida,” said Tampa family lawyer Joshua Law. “These individuals often have a difficult time pursuing legal arrangements that are automatically bestowed upon married couples.” The Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder […]

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 22, 2013 – It is a real concern jailing mentally ill prisoners. Anything can happen, resulting in a wrongful death lawsuit. “This Texas case was a hot button for the local police. An inmate in custody collapsed and died later in hospital. A local civil rights group filed a wrongful death lawsuit, based on the fact that the inmate was obviously mentally ill and being behind bars led to a decline in his physical health and further decline in his mental health. This kind of situation raises concerns about how obviously ill prisoners are […]

Miami, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 19, 2013 – High skilled immigration shortages are a real issue for information technology companies. “Field workers are not the only issue facing America when it comes to the current immigration system, the one that has been broken for so long no one remembers what ‘normal’ is any longer. The basic issue with the information technology (IT) sector is a skill gap. They need more qualified people and thanks to immigration laws, can’t get enough of them,” outlined Larry S. Rifkin, a Miami immigration lawyer and managing partner at Rifkin & Fox-Isicoff, with law […]

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 19, 2013 – The death of a man at Tampa International Airport has investigators searching for answers. Chad Wolfe, 31, landed in Tampa just after midnight on a recent Friday. While still in the airport with his girlfriend and her stepfather, Wolfe went missing. The following morning, airport workers discovered his body at the bottom of an elevator shaft. Robert Joyce, a Tampa personal injury attorney who is not involved in the case, commented, “One would think an accident like this would be highly preventable. Elevators are generally held to strict safety standards and […]

Brandon, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 19, 2013 – A Miami jury handed a businessman a huge cash award in his dispute with a bank. Maury Rosenberg was awarded $6.1 million in a case against U.S. Bank. Rosenberg alleged the bank was trying to collect on his debt by forcing him into involuntary bankruptcy. The jury found that the bank acted in bad faith. “Forcing a debtor into bankruptcy as a means of trying to collect on a debt is prohibited by federal law,” said Brandon bankruptcy lawyer O. Reginald Osenton. The verdict includes punitive damages of $5 million and […]

White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) April 19, 2013 – More women tend to need long-term care coverage, and they will be paying more for it. Prices for long-term care insurance will soon reflect the reality that women live longer and file more claims than men. That change could mean significant upheaval in an already confusing and unpredictable market, and for some women who have been on the fence about buying such coverage, it creates a new decision-making deadline. Gender-based long-term care policies are beginning to be offered to women who apply for individual coverage. Genworth, one such company offering […]

Atlanta, GA (Law Firm Newswire) April 18, 2013 – Hip replacement manufacturers have recalled a large amount of all-metal total hip replacement over the years. A high percentage of hip replacement implants have been reported to cause pain and difficulty in motion for the recipients. Some models have been found to create issues in the top of the hip, where the thigh bone fits the socket. A number of hip replacements shipped between 2004 and 2011 have been recalled. Surgeons and hospitals were notified of recalls after implant registry data revealed that more than 12% of UK-based patients needed to […]

Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) April 18, 2013 – A cluster of tragic car accidents involving teenagers belies the national trend of fewer such accidents. Four high school friends died recently when their car skidded off a bridge in rural Illinois and fell into a creek. The tragedy came just one day after five Texas teenagers died in a fiery crash and an accident in Ohio claimed six lives. However, statistics show that fatal crashes involving teenagers are actually decreasing. “Our hearts go out to the victims of these horrible events, and we are reminded that young drivers are especially […]

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 18, 2013 – Mobile devices do not kill people. Distracted people using them kill people. “Look out your window while you are driving and make a note of how many people you see walking along with their heads down and a mobile device in their hands, texting. They have no clue where they are, who is around them, or where they are going. In short, they are totally oblivious to their surroundings. Some even walk in front of moving vehicles. Life these days is nothing short of bizarre, when people take leave of their […]

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 18, 2013 – In spite of incoming troops and vocal criticism, VA benefits backlog only continues to grow. Military veterans are waiting an average of nine months after returning home for the Department of Veterans Affairs to process their disability claims. Congress recently criticized the VA and the Department of Defense for failing to merge troop records into one streamlined electronic system which would help to shorten the backlog. “It seems impossible to have such a level of bureaucracy that vets are not getting the benefits to which they are entitled for such a […]

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 18, 2013 – The latest issue of Bigger Law Firm, a magazine for attorneys, examines Google Plus’ role in marketing, the latest responsive web design, how to use the iPad use in the courtroom, the cloud-based software fermata, and more. This month’s feature, “Revisiting Google+,” takes an in-depth look at Google Plus Search Plus Your World, the innovative intersection of Google’s search engine with its social media platform, and whether the hybridization has been a success. Barbara Atkinson looks at how this new way of integrating social media has changed the marketing landscape for […]

Lakeland, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 17, 2013 – Sex crimes are a whole different ball of wax, and extremely serious crimes. “If someone is charged with a sex crime and the charges involve a child, this is a very serious matter and you will need an experienced Lakeland criminal defense attorney at your side. The bad news begins with word of such a charge reaching others, including family, friends and co-workers. The instant reaction is bone deep rage and revulsion, despite the fact that the individual charged may be completely innocent. People forget that first and foremost, someone charged […]

Virginia Beach, VA (Law Firm Newswire) April 17, 2013 – The FDA plans to ease the rules governing approval of new Alzheimer’s treatments. Under the proposal, drug companies would no longer be required to demonstrate in clinical trials that their products improved a patient’s life. Instead, approval could be granted based on test subjects in the early stages of Alzheimer’s showing small improvements in reasoning and memory in controlled tests. The proposed change addresses a problem inherent in the agency’s existing policy. Medications are most likely to be useful to Alzheimer’s patients in the earliest stages of the disease. But […]

Palo Alto, CA (Law Firm Newswire) April 16, 2013 – Estate planning is not a one-time project; it is an ongoing process. For estate planning to be successful, assets and other forms of ownership should be revisited at regular intervals. During career planning, after the birth of children, while setting up college funds, when contemplating future retirement, after acquiring items with titles, prior to marriage or after divorce, and to secure future needs in case of disability or incapacitation – estate planning should be part of every one of these milestones. “When considering what a client might want to address […]

Little Rock, AR (Law Firm Newswire) April 16, 2013 – As bad as this story is, there are worse. That is a frightening thing for nursing home residents. “Since I handle nursing home abuse cases, I keep an eye of the latest developments in the law,” said Michael Smith, an Arkansas injury lawyer and Arkansas accident lawyer, practicing personal injury law in Arkansas.. “This case was revolting, but as bad as it is, there are worse cases out there. If this doesn’t shock you, it should, because in the future, it could be us in a nursing home.” Even though […]

Waxahachie, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 16, 2013 – Some retirees with government pensions will get less social security than they may expect. About one million Americans are affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which affects government workers on the local, state or federal level who were hired prior to 1984 and are eligible for a government pension. “Retirees who are affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision need to be aware of what their Social Security benefits will be so that they can plan properly for their retirement,” said John Hale, a Dallas elder law attorney and estate planning […]

Cleveland, OH (Law Firm Newswire) April 15, 2013 – One in fifteen medical mistakes leads to the death of a patient. “If doctors had a good grasp on the ability to report, measure and understand their errors and how they affect the bigger picture, it may reduce the number of medical mistakes in the nation’s hospitals. Or it may not, as doctors are human and humans are not always comfortable with admitting their mistakes, even if it means obfuscation to retain their reputation,” suggested Christopher Mellino, a Cleveland medical malpractice lawyer. The events in question are not referred to as […]

Austin, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 15, 2013 – Drinking and driving is never a good idea. Driving with a small child in the car can be fatal. “You’d think that with all the drunk driving education around today that people would not drink and drive, and would certainly not, if they chose to ignore the warnings, drive while inebriated with a small child in the vehicle. The 33-year-old father in this case not only chose to drive while three sheets to the wind, but had two passengers in his vehicle as well. One was a 22-year-old woman and the […]

The Arbitration Boutique Trend and What It Means for Your Business Los Angeles, CA (Law Firm Newswire) April 15, 2013 – The recent coverage of the acrimonious lawsuit over law firm DLA Piper’s billing practices has, once again, resurrected longstanding complaints about the high hourly billable rates charged by large international law firms. What may be lost in the controversy is the impact that these high billable rates have on the clients – businesses that rely on sophisticated law firms to handle their transactions and disputes. What is not reported is that increasingly, many companies are effectively priced out of […]